ᐅ Is it allowed to place privacy screens anywhere on your own property?

Hello everyone,

I have the following situation: Last year, around the time we moved, we talked with our neighbors and agreed to plant a hedge along the property boundary for enclosure. In principle, I still have no objection to that; the hedge can definitely be planted right on the boundary.

However, a few days ago, the neighbors installed a shed along the boundary. It is quite a large structure made of silver corrugated metal. There is nothing wrong with that, of course, but it’s not exactly the view we want to have while having breakfast on our terrace.

I would now like to build a wooden privacy fence on our side of the property, something with a trellis for climbing plants, and plant greenery in front of it so that when looking toward that corner, we see a nice garden instead of the metal.

Am I allowed to do this without any issues? Are there any minimum distances I have to keep? I’ve attached a sketch where I have marked the metal shed in gray and the desired privacy fence in yellow. Of course, I wouldn’t do this without discussing it again with the neighbors first, but I would like to know where I stand legally. I haven’t been able to find much information online, only about enclosures with fences.

If your property borders the neighbor's land directly, you can do whatever you want there, as long as it does not exceed a height of 2 meters (6.5 feet).

kati1337 schrieb:

Quite a monstrosity made of silver corrugated metal.

kati1337 schrieb:

Am I allowed to do that without any issues?

I bet he wasn’t even allowed to build that monstrous thing. Definitely not there!
... up to 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in), as far as I know, you can build something directly on the property line. Most privacy fences are designed this way.

ypg schrieb:

I bet that huge structure wasn’t even allowed to be built there. Not in that location!
... as far as I know, structures up to 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) high can be built directly on the property line. Most privacy fences are designed that way.

You think so?
We also have our carport right on the boundary line, and neither the construction company nor the local authority had any issues with it.
The shed isn’t exactly on the boundary; it’s a few centimeters (inches) inside their property. I don’t want to cause trouble over something like that. I just want to make my side nice.

If the shed is new and was not included in the original building permit / planning permission, you would likely need a permit, and the municipality should have issued you a corresponding construction notice.... a few centimeters (inches) of distance are irrelevant; building on the boundary must be permitted, and the maximum allowed meters (feet) must not be exceeded.

I would clarify this in your place first; then talk to the neighbor. If it is not approved, you can probably work freely on the boundary, and they cannot complain..

kati1337 schrieb:

but I would like to know what my legal position is here. I can hardly find any information online, only about enclosing with a fence.

It is considered an enclosure with a fence if you build directly on the property boundary. This is regulated by local neighbor law in the states or the zoning plan. However, behind the boundary line, you are generally free to build as you wish.